living in the sun has made us "soft"

everon


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:03

so its pouring down! and we wont go out for our shopping and our Cyprus Today. When we were in the UK, it was always raining, we never even thought about not going out! so has living in the sun made us "soft"!!!!!!

Mindy



Joined: 27/10/2008
Posts: 1210

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:34

Yes.. we have been spoilt, but they do say your blood thins living in a warm climate, my hubby is sat here with 2 fleeces on, big softy

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:36

So do I bring my wellies and mac and umbrella next week? Is it cold?

Earlybird


Joined: 28/04/2009
Posts: 816

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:41

Everon, I think it is the 'soft' roads that are the problem and the hazard of local drivers keeping to the same speed they always drive at! Definately need wellies, mac and umbrella today!

Navek



Joined: 01/06/2008
Posts: 2656

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:49

Hi Woodspeckie,

Forget the wellies, mac and umbrella.

Bring a wet suit flippers, mask and snorkel

Lot's of rain forecast here.

You have been warned

Navek

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 12:54

And your winter drawers )

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 16:07

I was dreading going back to UK next week cos of the cold. This rain has gone through to my bones. I am so cold today. We have lit the fire.Sadly forcast for most of next week also Bring all your warm stuff xx

everon


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 17:19

finally went out for shopping and hot a nice hot shower when we got back, feel lovely and toasty warm now x

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 17:29

I don't think it's anything to do with living in the sun. I don't see how your blood can thin unless you live with high heat all the year round. I still find the high summers here too hot & the winters chilly after 8 yrs. of full time living here.

I think the problem is the poorly insulated houses. Most houses are concrete construction & have minimal insualtion. Forget double glazing - it doesn't make any significant difference. Even in houses with some cavity insulation, it is generally ineffective. Also houses rarely have an insulated loft like they would in the UK.

The other big factor is that most people don't have central heating here & if they do many can't afford the running costs. I know several people with it & although they are not hard up, they begrudge the cost of running it, whether it be gas or oil. Some who have it, no longer use it at all.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 17:36

Scruff I agree with you, however I do feel my blood is a lot thinner from being in the sun.I find the winter here colder and damper than UK in my bones. My guess a lot of people may be on medication for blood pressure etc or asprin which does thin the blood. We had radiators at the last house under the windows and the heat went straght out of the windows as they were so badly fitted. The cost of the gas was so highxxx

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 17:49

I'm on blood pressure medication but I would never use aspirin for anything, even headeaches if I got them. There was recent medical advice (in the Lancet I think) that people shouldn't use half an aspirin to thin the blood, as has been previously suggested.

Re. CH. Both the cost of bottled gas & diesel oil at pump prices means that CH costs are far higher here than in the UK. You can run Gas CH in the UK. for 6/7 mths, more cheaply than you can run it for only 3/4 months here, even though the temperatures rarely go as low as 4c & are usually only about 10c minimum. This is the poor insulation factor kicking in.

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 18:57

Well, you have, today a temperature quite a bit higher than we, at 12c in the evening.

We are much colder, freezing during night and early morning, but we are not complaining,

after all, it is December, and the sun was shining! Friends who live out there are using electric

blankets (even though they are a couple!) and I sleep alone with no more than a "hotty" some

nights. I hope the rain is mostly over next month when I am over as it was horrendous out there

end of Oct/early Nov with the famous golfball hailstones (never seen the like) and torrential rain

thunder, lightening and inevitable power cuts. I was glad to be home as I felt ill too.

mikki09


Joined: 17/10/2009
Posts: 129

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 19:16

I am lost without central heating like we had in the UK. It is absolutely freezing fire on but does not seem to do that much to heat you up. Roll on the summer.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 19:20

Scruff tell me more about asprin as I take them every day on my GPs advice xxxxxxxxxxxxx. Im so cold at the moment. For a hot blooded woman like me xxxxxxx

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 19:32

If you have been prescribed by the Doctor or have had a stroke or heart attack you are advised to take aspirin every day, I believe that if this is not the case then the risks associated with aspirin outweigh any advantages.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 19:43

Lilli

I recently visited one of the leading cardiologists on the island for a consult and some tests. His recommendation was to get rid of my clopidogrel (blood thinner) and up my dose of aspirin. The reason ??? Clopidogrel is still a relatively new drug and all side effects have yet to be fully realised/understood whereas aspirin is tried and tested over a number of years.



Paul

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 19:52

PAUL should i still take the. as i am going back and flying i was going to increase my dose. i take lisinopil and nebibolol also crestor xx

decanddyl


Joined: 17/01/2009
Posts: 792

Message Posted:
05/12/2009 23:44

Hi Liz,

If prescribed by the doctor don't stop taking it especially before a flight. ( If in doubt speak to a doctor when in the UK )

It is a well known fact all drugs have side effects and as you know the side effects don't affect everyone.

Have fun in the UK.

Cathy x

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 00:55

message 14 Liz. It was on the BBC news website a few weeks ago. The advice was that unless you have a known heart condition then you should not take aspirin. This is my recollection. The Lancet were advising GPs to change their recommendations about aspirin. I will do a search & see if I can provide you some links on here about the issue. Please check back on this thread again.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 01:05

I have found the article. it was on the BBC website on 31 August 2009.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8230048.stm

I should wait until you a see a GP in the UK. before changing what he's told you to do, but I would bring it up.

I too take Crestor - the highest dose. My cholesterol is 10 on the UK. scale & 400 scale they use here. My good cholesterol is quite high but so is my bad cholesterol too. They measure it in a different way in Europe. Also on Co-diovan for highish BP. I have never been advised to take Aspirin. But then we are all different.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 08:51

hi scruff thank you. i will get checked out. hope you can control your cholesterol xxx

barnaclebill


Joined: 12/12/2008
Posts: 303

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 10:49

Paul,

Ref msg 16 could you give me some details of the cardioligst you visited.

Thanks BB

Vidal


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 867

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 22:41

If you are using log burners stoves and calor gas heaters, I have found that if you turn your air con on to heat, or ceiling fans onto low, just for a five mins a couple of times a day it stirs the heat round that has gone up to the top of the room.

Makes such a difference!

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
06/12/2009 23:03

I've stopped worrying about the cholesterol now. I was first told about it in the UK. in the early 90s after I had a series of blood tests for diabetes in the early 90s. I don't have diabetes. They didn't seem to care enough about it enough to put me on meds in the UK. Good old NHS for you. So I just ignored it until I came here. Then a doctor here suggested another cholesterol test & I went on meds again. He said it wasn't diet related, it must be gentic to be that high. Then I stopped again because of the cost here & finally a British GP in the South said I really should take it seriously & I have been on Crestor 20 mg (this is the highest dose in Crestor) since early 2007. She's also a consultant Gastroenterologist btw as well as a GP. I'd highly recommend her if anyone is interested. She the best GP I've ever seen, both in Cyprus or the UK.

HildySmith


Joined: 02/07/2009
Posts: 1708

Message Posted:
07/12/2009 01:59

Another condition that makes you feel the cold is hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid in my case).

I am on the correct medication for it, but I really feel the cold (my sister has the same condition and this applies to her too - she has just had a new radiator fitted next to her chair). I was in TRNC in October and November and I was complaining that I did not have any cardigans with me for the night time and there is a nip in the air at night even then.